


Waist-deep

by lokitrashno_1



Series: Connor: Become Human [7]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Bonding, Connor is a precious burrito, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Good Parent Hank Anderson, Swimming, Swimming Pools, based off art
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 06:44:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16571627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokitrashno_1/pseuds/lokitrashno_1
Summary: After a particularly close call, Hank teaches Connor how to swim*it is not necessary to read the rest of this series to understand this fic*





	Waist-deep

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know anything about swimming. I haven't been swimming for years. 
> 
> Thanks Wikihow. 
> 
> This was inspired by this adorable art I came across on Tumblr: http://lady-lovely-violet.tumblr.com/post/175367979242/connor-learns-to-swim-love-this-idea-inspired

Androids were stupid.

Yes, they were the most advanced technology to date. But that didn’t stop them from being stupid in Hank’s eyes. 

Take Connor for example – he was only seven months old but one of the best detectives in Detroit. He was a walking-talking forensics lab, a better negotiator than a flesh and blood human _and_ had lightning fast reflexes to top it off. All of this and he came with useless features like being able to open beer bottles with his teeth (Hank wasn’t too opposed to that one) an endless brain that he filled with information on fish, a fucking camera built into his eyes and the ability to create mind-boggling structures in Minecraft.

All of this and the fucker couldn’t even _swim._

“Why the fuck didn’t they programme you with the ability to swim?!” He demanded through chattering teeth after his dive into the Detroit river. In March. Rescuing a state of the art prototype. From drowning.

“I don’t know.” Connor mumbled, whose teeth were also chattering. “I would have appreciated it if they had told me.”

“You and me both.” Hank replied, awkwardly wrapping Sumo’s dog blanket around their shoulders as they sat shivering together in Hank’s car, the heat up full blast. “Perp push you?”

“He was surprisingly strong.” Connor glowered, the fact that he had been overpowered by a mere human grating on his nerves.

Hank let out a shaky sigh. “Once we’re all dry and warmed up we’re going to the public pool. We’re teaching you to swim.”

Connor didn’t look too pleased. 

“It’s cold.” Connor complained as soon as Hank existed his changing cubical. They were both clad in swimming trunks, Connor hugging himself against the cold breeze that flowed through the changing area.

“You’ll warm up once you get in the water.” Hank said, rummaging around in his swim bag. “Here.” He said, holding out a pair of bright orange armbands for the android to take. “Put these on.”

Connor turned the bands over in his hands, reading the tiny text on the side of the rubber. “Where? How? What are these?” He questioned.

“Put ‘em on your arms. They’ll help you float while you’re getting the basics down.”

Connor slipped the bands past his hands, leaving them settled on his wrists like obnoxiously oversized bracelets. “Like that?”

Hank rolled his eyes. “No.” He reached out, tugging them up past the androids’ elbows. They were a little small, seeing as they were made for children and Connor had the body of a twenty something year old man. They were actually Cole’s old arm bands. Hank tried not to dwell on that too much.

Connor turned around and gazed at his reflection in the mirror behind him. “I look stupid.” He said.

“Well observed.” Hank drawled. “C’mon, you won’t look so stupid once we’re in the pool."

Hank found himself shivering as well once they were in the pool area. He set their towels on the wall beside the pool and started to climb in.

“That pool over there looks a lot less… threatening.” Connor said, pointing over to their right.

“That’s the baby pool, Con.” Hank scoffed. “The water goes up to your knees. You’re too big.”

“Knee high water sounds better than…” He glanced over at Hank who was now settled in the bigger pool. “Waist high water.”

“Babies piss in it.” Hank told him.

Connor climbed in after him with no complaint.

As soon as Connor slipped into the water he was in Hank’s arms. Hank couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What’s up, kid?” He asked.

“I don’t like it.” Connor’s LED was flashing yellow as he tried to process his environment. “It’s… scary.”

“You like bubble baths.” Hank pointed out. “Just think of this as a giant bubble bath.”

“This is significantly deeper than a bubble bath. And there are no bubbles.”

He flung his arms around Hank’s neck and wrapped his legs around his waist. Hank grunted at the sudden weight of one whole frightened android.

“I don’t like it.” He repeated.

Hank sighed, grabbing at Connor’s hands in a futile attempt to release the vice-like grip around his throat. “C’mon, you’ll be fine. I ain’t gonna let anything bad happen to you.”

Connor paused. “Promise?”

“Get off me and I’ll pinky promise.”

Connor hesitated before releasing his hold, letting himself sink back into the water.

“I still don’t like it.” He said.

“I know, I know. But you need to learn to swim. I ain’t jumping into any more rivers to save your sorry ass. Capeesh?”

Connor glared at him from under his lashes, pouting. “Capeesh.”

“Alrighty then.” Hank took a couple of steps back from Connor, but let out an exasperated sigh when Connor just followed him. “We’re gonna start with learning how to float.”

Connor blinked. “There’s a technique?”

“Obviously, otherwise you wouldn’t have dropped to the riverbed like a fucking stone.” Hank snorted. “Right, grab onto this.”

He reached off to the side of the pool and dragged a foam pool noodle into the water. Connor eyed it questioningly.

“Lean forward and rest your chest on it, put your arms over it… That’s it.” Hank guided the androids’ arms to where they needed to be. Connor was now closer to the water than before, and his LED flashed red for a split second.

“I don’t like this.”

“You’ve told me, Con.” Hank sighed, running a hand through his hair. “But this is important, especially in our line of work.”

“I know.” Connor grumbled.

“Think you’re ready for the next step?”

Connor took a deep breath and nodded.

“OK.” Hank waded to Connor’s middle, pressing a palm to the artificial skin of Connor’s stomach. He noticed the android flinch slightly at the contact, but this was not the time to find out whether the kid was ticklish. “Lean forward a bit more and let your legs lift up.”

“My legs?!” Connor yelped.

“Yep. I got you, just let ‘em float.”

Connor gulped audibly before doing just that, his legs trembling as they left the tiled pool floor.

“Just like that!” Hank encouraged. “Straighten them out a bit.” His other hand went to guide his feet outward. “Think you can hold that?”

“I… think?” He didn’t sound confident in the slightest.

Hank carefully took a step back, trying not to make the water ripple too much in case it startled the android. Connor managed to hold his position for just over ten seconds before his feet met the floor again.

“You did great!” Hank exclaimed. Connor immediately waded back to the safety of Hank’s side.

“Thanks.” He gasped.

“Think you can do the same on your back?”

Connor looked at him with wide eyes. “That seems worse.”

“It’s actually easier.” Hank said, throwing himself back and letting the water carry him. Connor watched on with awe.   

“I’ll give it a try.” Connor decided. Once Hank was upright again he put his arm around Connor’s waist, helping him lean back into the water. Connor suddenly shot up, a grimace on his face.

“The water got into my auditory units.” He complained.

“Your ears?”

Connor nodded, tipping his head to one side in an attempt to dispel the water.

“That’s going to happen when you’re swimming. Is it gonna make you short circuit or something?”

Connor shook his head. “No, androids are quite waterproof. It’s just unpleasant.”

“I get ya,” Hank said, “But it’s something you’re going to have to get used to.”

Connor’s nose wrinkled in disgust.

Still, he tried again. Hank cradled him as he got into position, making sure his legs were straight out in front of him.

“Ok, stretch your arms out to your sides. That’s it. I’m gonna let go now, ok?”

“Ok.” Connor confirmed, but his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Hank stepped away and miraculously, Connor stayed afloat.

“I’m doing it!” Connor exclaimed, trying to keep his body still as possible through his excitement.

“You are!” Hank agreed, a grin spreading across his face. Connor’s excitement reminded him of Cole’s after reaching a milestone during his own lessons.

“Think you can keep going?” Hank asked as Connors feet found the bottom of the pool again.

“I think I’m getting used to the water.” Connor said, swishing his arms around him, getting used to the feeling of water between his fingers. It was an odd sensation, but not a bad one. “What’s the next step?”

“Putting your head underwater.”

Any confidence Connor had gained in the last minute was suddenly lost. “That doesn’t sound pleasant.”

“We can leave it for another day if you would like?”

“No, no. I want to try.” Connor had a determined expression on his face, his fists clenched. “I can do it.”

“That’s the spirt.” Hank ruffled the androids dripping hair, which was starting to curl. “I’ll go down at the same time. If you want to go up then go up, ok?”

“Ok.” Connor nodded, releasing a long breath.

“Ready?” Hank pinched his nostrils together and Connor mirrored him, although he probably didn’t need to, and they ducked below the water together. They were only down there for a couple of seconds before Connor shot up again.

Hank broke the surface a moment later. “You alright?” He asked as soon as he got his breath back. Connor shook his head frantically, his eyes squeezed shut.

“I didn’t like that. I didn’t like that at all.” He murmured.

“What part didn’t you like?”

“The water. In my eyes.” Connor blinked a few times

Hank sighed. He had forgotten about Connors whole abnormal android sensitivity to pain and external stimulants. Of course the chlorine would cause his eyes to sting – it was bloody agony for most humans, though Hank had gotten used to it long ago.

“Ok wait there a moment.” He lifted himself out of the pool and padded over to the side where their bags were, being careful not to slip on the wet tile. Connor followed, but stopped at the edge of the pool, watching Hanks every movement, as if he might turn around and run, leaving him waist deep in his personal hell. Hank rummaged around for a while until he found what he was looking for. He slipped back into the pool, goggles in hand. 

Connor eyed them cautiously. “What are they?”

“Goggles.” Hank stretched out the elastic, extending it so it fit around Connors head, resting the goggles on his nose. “They too tight?”

“They’re adequate.” Connor said, twitching his nose like a rabbit, getting used to the sensation of the hard plastic pinching at his artificial skin.

Hank took a step back until the entirety of the android was in his sight, and had to restrain himself from bursting into laughter. Connor looked absolutely ridiculous, green-blue goggles covering his eyes making him look vaguely bug-like with florescent orange arm bands, his hair plastered to his forehead.

“What?” Connor asked, none the wiser.

“Nothing kid, nothing.” Hank chuckled, shaking his head. “Ready to try again?”

Connor paused before nodding. He pinched his nostrils together again and they both ducked under the water.

This time he stayed under for a lot longer, until Hank signalled that he was running out of breath. Only then did they break the surface.

“Better?” Hank asked after he had gotten the water out of his own eyes.

Connor nodded, his face lit up slightly. “It was a lot better with the goggles. After I had gotten used to the water in my ears it was actually quite peaceful under there. Fish are lucky.”

Hank smiled, “Good! It’s a lot easier to swim under water than it is above water.”

“What’s the next step?” Connor asked eagerly.  

“Want to try treading water?’ Hank asked. “We’ll have to move further down the pool though.”

Connor frowned, suddenly wary. “How far down?”

“Far enough that your feet don’t touch the bottom anymore.” 

Hank could have sworn Connors complexation had lightened a few shades. “Can we skip that step?”

“We have to do it sometime. It’s important.”

“Maybe not today.”

Hank sighed. Baby steps, he reminded himself. Connor may be an android, but pushing him would still cause him to freak out, much like a human. “Alright. Want to do something else?”

Connor nodded his agreement.

“Ok, we could practice some strokes. Breaststroke is an easy start.”

Connor watched as Hank demonstrated, swimming half a length before swimming back to the android, trying not to show just how out of breath he was from the minimal activity. Connor’s led spun yellow as he processed Hank’s movements. “I think I can do that.”

“Don’t you want to practice kicking first?” Hank asked surprised.

“I should be fine.” Connor said. “Androids are very good at learning and imitation.’

“I suppose so.” Hank said gruffly. “Give it a go then. I’ll be right here.”

Connor took a deep breath and positioned his arms, then dove forward, kicking his legs.

His form was perfect… for about two stokes, before the android flailed and his foot met the bottom of the pool, causing him to stumble slightly.

“You alright?” Hank asked, wading towards him.

Connor was frowning down at the water. “That should have gone better.”

“No one’s expecting you to get it right on the first go.” Hank pointed out. “No one does something right first try.”

“Androids do.” Connor grumbled, before throwing himself forward to try again, but the same happened – two stokes, flailing.

“You’ve done a lot today.” Hank said. “What’s your energy levels?”

“59 percent.” Connor said, “Not particularly high enough for physical activity.” He frowned. “It shouldn’t be so low. I had a full, undisturbed night of stasis.”

“Trying new things can be an exhausting experience.” Hank said, “Don’t worry about it. We can come back another time.”

“But what if I lose the progress I’ve made today?” Connor asked, voice slightly panicked. “Maybe we should carry on.”

“We can have a recap next time. I doubt you’ll forget. Besides, _I’m_ tired.”

Connor looked the lieutenant up and down, no doubt analysing him. For once, Hank didn’t complain. Eventually the android sighed. “Ok.”

They climbed out of the pool, Hank grabbed a towel from the side and wrapped Connor up in it snugly, much like how he would wrap Cole up after a bath. “You did well today, kid.”

“I suppose.” He muttered, voice slightly muffled by the towel, the only part of him visible being half of his face and a tuft of hair. Like a little android burrito.  

“You did.” Hank insisted earnestly, clapping the boy on the shoulder. “We’ll come back next week and give it another go.”

Connors eyes narrowed in frustration, the little bit of flesh Hank could see turning blue. The android sighed and nodded. “Next week.” He confirmed.

* * *

 

 It had been two hours and Hank was starting to shiver. The warm pool water could only stay that way for so long, or at least according to his body. Connor was still attempting to swim, but at least he was making good progress.

“You can officially swim if you can swim four widths without stopping.’ Hank had told him on the second week. The android was still reluctant to venture into the deep end, so lengths were a no go. It was a problem for another day.

He was almost there, he had managed about three widths before gravity dragged his feet back to the tiles. Hank was starting to consider the possibility that it was impossible for androids to swim. Maybe they just weren’t built that way. Maybe they were just too full of bolts…

It had been four weeks since they had started.

Connor shook his dripping hair out of his face, face still determined.

“Once more try.’ He said, expression determined. ‘I can get it in this go.’ It was almost as if he was trying to will it into existence.

“Go for it.” Hank encouraged from the side of the pool.

Connor threw himself forward into the water and began to swim. He still splashed too much, but that was pretty normal for a beginner. Hank watched as Connor swam one width, then another, then another. He crossed his fingers, hoping that Connor could make this final stretch… his skin was beginning to wrinkle up after all.

Connors palm slammed against the opposite wall and he stood straight, pulling the goggles from his face.

“I did it!” He exclaimed, his face alight with pure joy. “Hank did you see? I did it! Four widths!”

“You did!” Hank waded over to the brunette, who was bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet with excitement. “Congratulations, Con, you can officially swim!”

“I can swim.’ Connor parroted, voice slightly disbelieving, but a goofy grin stretching his face wide. “Hopefully I won’t have to use my new skill on a case.”

“Hopefully not,” Hank agreed, “But if you do, at least we know you won’t sink like a bag of bolts like last time.”

Connor nodded, still grinning. “I’m one step closer to becoming a fish.” He said, eyes shining.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave feedback!
> 
> Prompts welcome!


End file.
